Using Indesign or WordPress to Create iBooks or Kindle Ebooks

I have recently been in the process of writing a design ebook and have been wondering about the possibility of converting it for Kindle or Ipad (not just as a PDF). I am still a bit old school and have been using Quark Xpress rather than Indesign (although I have that too). Quark have been banging on about what it can do with ebooks and iphone apps, but to be honest I am falling out of love with Quark, its clunky interface and bugs and so I thought I would check out what Indesign and other applications can do with e-publishing.

I thought some of you might be interested in creating books for Ipad and Kindle too and might want to check out these videos showing you how Indesign and WordPress can be used to create suitable files.

Using InDesign to Create Digital Epub Books for Kindle and Ipad (Part 1)

Check out the other videos on Indesign for Ebooks here part 2 and part 3

Using WordPress to Create Ipad and Kindle Books with PressBooks

Then while listening to a podcast I heard that you can also make epub ebooks through WordPress using PressBooks, this would allow for collaboration on ebooks and looks like an interesting idea.

Using Open Source Software to Create Epub Books

I also discovered a free open source piece of software called Booktype which you can also use to create digital books for the ipad and Kindle

Went right off Quark about 8 years ago when I first started using Indesign, it’s so much more flexible. For the last 3 or 4 years I’ve use Indesign less and less only because of the demand for web sites has increase in my part of the world.

Yes, and a vote for InDesign over Quark here, Tara. I never got the ePubs on the iBook store (or whatever it’s called) – I actually found them quite hard to send to iPhones to be read, they had to be uploaded to a site.

Good blog and tutorial on creating kindle ebooks! I fell out of love with Quark and just use InDesign for all my work now. I used to get so frustrated with all the security checks built into quark, with activation, online activation, validation codes etc

Hi Tara,
Been a while since we last spoke. I used Quark for years for layout then the company I was working for switched. I thought this is going to be hell, but it turned out to be the best move I made. Indesign is much more flexible and easier to bring in vectors and import other files from Photoshop and Illustrator. I’d say go for it. I’m also aiming to redesign a book I wrote, but didn’t design initially, so I’ll try Indesign. How’s the book going?

Good to hear from you. I have been using Indesign for a few non-print bits and am getting used to it (though still looking odd bits up), knowing Illustrator and Photoshop really helps.The first draft of my book is there, I just have to check it and test it a bit etc, it might be too simple for you but you are welcome to a free copy when done if you want. Hope your course is going well.
Best

Yes I would love a copy and of course I’ll supply feedback. I downloaded ibooks Author from the app store as I’m thinking about republishing a book I wrote back in 1983 (not design). Have you had any experience of this or do you know anyone who has? I’m wondering what the best option is ibooks Author or creating a book via indesign the best bet. I’d be interesting to hear the merits of either. I’m looking to sell the book either through the app store or an independent website. Course is going okay thanks. I need to find a follow up as not as much commercial work for my portfolio though. Stick with Indesign in the long run you’ll be better off.

Hi Kevin, great thanks. I haven’t downloaded ibooks author as I have not upgraded top Lion yet and it doesn’t run on Snow Leopard. I still haven’t tried any of the ebook methods, but will probably go with Indesign. I did hear that ibooks author has some stringent terms – you might not be able to sell elsewhere but not totally sure on that.

Hi Tara, thanks for that. I may produced two versions anyway one for sale on ibooks for the US market as well and another for sale as a downloadable PDF still giving this one some thought! Look forward to seeing your book at some stage. All the best.

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Hi, this is Tara, I am a freelance graphic designer based in Northamptonshire UK. I have nearly 20 years design experience and I write this graphic design blog. Please take a look at my portfolio or contact me for more information